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From ‘I have killed Rahul Gandhi’ to ‘pigs joined the yatra’:Revisiting gems of Rahul Gandhi as Bharat Jodo Yatra comes to an end

OpIndia Staff
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From ‘I have killed Rahul Gandhi’ to ‘pigs joined the yatra’:Revisiting gems of Rahul Gandhi as Bharat Jodo Yatra comes to an end

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra concluded on 30th January 2023 in Jammu and Kashmir. Rahul Gandhi unfurled the national flag at Lal Chowk in Srinagar to conclude his container-led walk that was initiated in Kanyakumari four months ago. At various stages during this Yatra, Rahul Gandhi went on to prove that the 50th attempt at his grand political launch ended up portraying himself as more miserable than ever. From killing Rahul Gandhi to repeating the story of his meeting with poor kids shivering in cold, the Congress MP came up with many incidents displaying his long-known traits.

Initially, Rahul Gandhi displayed his confusion as he said in the early phase of his container journey that he is not fighting any political party but he is fighting the Indian state. Accusing the BJP-led NDA government of politically using central investigation and law enforcement agencies against various leaders in the opposition parties, Rahul Gandhi said, “We’re not fighting anymore a political party. We used to fight a political party. Now the fight is between the structure of the Indian state and the opposition.” His Bharat Jodo Yatra, whose motive should have been to empower his party to rise to the top of the state again, thus found itself a degraded place in the people’s point of view.

The foot march of the Congress MP was labelled as Congress’ attempt to reconnect with the masses. Though he was seen walking during this Yatra, this tour of the Gandhi scion was no less than a luxury on wheels. The ‘foot march’ was also accompanied by a convoy of 59 containers, which were colour coded as per the availability of beds. The Congress leaders slept in these containers, which were mounted on trucks. They camped on the roadsides, ate food made by the cooking staff, and got clean laundry once every 3 days.

It is notable that in his early attempts at political launch campaigns, Rahul Gandhi would go to the households of the poor and have meals with those families. This time, in Bharat Jodo Yatra, Rahul Gandhi abandoned his night stay in the luxury container only after left-wing student unions in Kerala protested against the container camp.

Rahul Gandhi roped in a minor girl wearing a hijab while walking in the Yatra in Kerala, indicating support for the hijab when the whole world is opposing the oppressive practice of repressing women.

Along with minority appeasement, Rahul Gandhi continued to take Hinduphobic steps the Congress party is known for. He met Rijil Chandran Makkutty the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) leader, who slaughtered a cow in broad daylight in 2017 to mock Hindu sentiments. However, in the later part of his foot march, Rahul Gandhi said that cows also participated in his Bharat Jodo Yatra and none of them was killed, ignoring the fact that he welcomed a cow-killer in his Yatra while in Kerala.

During the Kerala and Karnataka legs of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Veer Savarkar’s photo appeared on the local banners of the foot march. It is pertinent to note that Congress has made it a point to deride the freedom fighter Veer Savarkar whenever they get the opportunity. Rahul Gandhi took this opportunity when his march reached Maharashtra – the land Savarkar hailed from.

The Congress scion went on a vitriolic tirade against Veer Savarkar during the Maharashtra leg of his ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra.’ On November 15, 2022, Rahul Gandhi claimed that the freedom fighter took a pension from the British government to work against the Indian National Congress (INC). Again on November 17, 2022, he reiterated that Veer Savarkar helped the British government and wrote mercy petitions “out of fear”. Rahul Gandhi accused the Indian freedom fighter of betraying the likes of Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel, and Mahatma Gandhi in the Akola district of Maharashtra. Multiple cases were filed against him for making such statements.

Rahul Gandhi also gave some apparently crazy statements during this Yatra. Once he said that he met an RSS member who weighed 100 kg and went to Kedarnath in a helicopter, unlike Rahul Gandhi who claimed that he trekked several kilometres to reach the Kedarnath temple and avoided the helicopter ride despite it being easily available.

The fiasco of the Rahul Gandhi’s martial arts lesson to Congress leaders to ‘physically’ ward off RSS and BJPNepal anthem being played at Bharat Jodo Yatra

On November 16, a shockingly funny incident happened during Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra when the Nepalese National Anthem was played instead of Indian National Anthem. Furthermore, Rahul Gandhi and other leaders on the stage kept calling it National Song while the National Anthem, ‘Jana Gana Mana,’ was supposed to be played.

Rahul Gandhi’s martial arts lesson to Congress leaders to ‘physically’ ward off RSS and BJP

On November 26, 2022, Congress scion Rahul Gandhi left netizens amused over his grand ‘political strategy’ to fight the ruling Bharatiya Janta Party. In a video shared by seasoned Congress loyalist Anshuman Sail, Gandhi was seen teaching his fellow party men the art of using the ‘energy’ of opponents.

The self-proclaimed martial arts expert politician then compelled a Congress leader to sit on his knees and then proceeded to push him from the front. When the said leader failed to maintain his balance, Rahul Gandhi suggested a way to take the opponent’s energy instead.

Rahul Gandhi shoves the phone of a man who wanted to click a selfie

On December 21, 2022, a video of Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra (BJY) went viral where the Congress leader was seen pushing down the phone of a fan who wanted a selfie with him. The video appeared to be from Rajasthan and was shot early morning on December 21, Gandhi was seen surrounded by his supporters on the stage.

All of them wanted to get clicked with the leader and started pushing each other. Irked by the situation, Gandhi angrily pushed down the phone of a fan who was trying to get a selfie with him. He seemed irritated with the attempt to take a selfie with him and did not allow the man to take the selfie.

Boasting about his ‘courage’ as Rahul went about fighting winter in a t-shirt

When the Bharat Jodo Yatra reached Delhi, at that time, it was chilling cold in the national capital. But Rahul Gandhi was seen wearing just a t-shirt. For this, he was hailed by his supporters. Some of them called Rahul Gandhi a PM candidate for showing this ‘courage’ to wear a t-shirt in cold. Salman Khurshid compared Rahul Gandhi with Lord Ram for this. Others in Haryana’s Karnal danced shirtless in the biting cold in Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra (BJY) after the Congress leader was hailed as Prime Minister candidate for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections for wearing just a t-shirt.

‘When Arjun was focusing on the eye of the fish, did he reveal about his future course of action?’

As if there was a lack of bizarreness in the foot march, Rahul Gandhi drew bizarre analogies between his ambitious ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ and the Swayamvar of Draupadi from the Hindu epic ‘Mahabharata.’ In a video shared very proudly by the official Twitter handle of the Congress party, he was heard as saying, “When Arjuna was focusing on the eye of the fish, did he announce his future course of action to everyone?”

Rahul Gandhi made the remarks upon being asked about his plans, following the conclusion of his political foot pilgrimage. He had compared himself to Arjuna and erroneously claimed that the warrior did not know about the fruits of his actions (the task to hit the eye of a fish).

‘I have killed Rahul Gandhi. He is just in your head’: Rahul Gandhi

Continuing the whimsical and vague statements in the new calendar year, Rahul Gandhi said on 8th January 2023 in Samana of Haryana, “Rahul Gandhi is in your head. I have killed him. He does not exist anymore. He is not in my mind. He is gone. Gone. The person you are seeing is not Rahul Gandhi. You are seeing him.”

He added, “You did not understand. Read Hindu Dharma a little. Read about Shiv Ji. You will understand. Do not get confused. Do not get confused. Rahul Gandhi is in your head. He does not exist in my head. Rahul Gandhi is in BJP’s head. He does not exist in my head. Why are you so confused? I do not care about the image. I do not have an interest in the image. You can keep the image you like. It concerns you, not me. I do not care. I want to do my work. Why are you so confused?”

Pujaris vs Tapasvis gibberish

Rahul Gandhi continued his habit of spurting out drivel as he addressed a press conference on 9th January 2023 in Kurukshetra during the ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra. Speaking at a public rally in Kurukshetra, the place where the Mahabharata battle took, Gandhi, invoked Pandavas and claimed that they were ‘tapasvis‘ and had supporters of ‘all religions’, leaving many wondering which all religions existed during the times of Mahabharata.

‘Dogs, cows, buffaloes, and pigs joined the Bharat Jodo Yatra’

In one instance, Rahul Gandhi’s speech during Bharat Jodo Yatra had the internet into a tizzy after he said ‘dogs, cows, buffaloes, and pigs attended the Bharat Jodo Yatra’.

Speaking at a public rally in Delhi, Rahul Gandhi said, “I don’t know if you have noticed it or not, but in this campaign(BJY), dogs participated, but no one killed them. Cows, buffaloes, and pigs also joined in, I saw them. All animals came. This Yatra is like our India. There is no hatred or violence here.”

As the Bharat Jodo Yatra entered Jammu and Kashmir, Rahul Gandhi started wearing jackets due to the cold weather and snowfall in the valley. Congress party came ahead to say that Rahul Gandhi, who had earlier said that those who wear sweaters fear cold, does not actually fear cold.

In this last phase of the foot march, the Congress leader repeated his story about poor kids shivering in cold. In Delhi, while telling the reason behind wearing just a t-shirt, he said that he saw three poor girls shivering in the cold. The girls did not have a sweater or jacket. Rahul Gandhi said that he decided at that time not to wear a sweater or a jacket unless those poor kids get a sweater to wear. However, he wore a jacket in Srinagar where he repeated the same story and told that he saw 4 kids shivering in cold in Kanyakumari when he started this Yatra and decided not to wear a jacket unless he is bothered by the cold.

This Bharat Jodo Yatra had several other incidents which actually turned it into a Bharat Todo Yatra. Rahul Gandhi as usual examined the patience of the common sense of the people wherever he visited during this foot march. He managed to do so with his statements and actions. If at all anything was left to make it look miserable, people losing their relevance with every passing day this march at various stages. The list includes, Kamal Hasan, Mahesh Bhatt, Pooja Bhatt, Kunal Kamra, Shyam Manav, Raghuram Rajan, Yogendra Yadav, Medha Patkar, and many others. Bharat Jodo Yatra finally concluded on 30th January 2023, at Srinagar.

‘Anyone supporting Delhi, whether Hindu, Sikh or Muslim, is our enemy’: Pro-Khalistan leader Amritpal Singh

OpIndia Staff
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‘Anyone supporting Delhi, whether Hindu, Sikh or Muslim, is our enemy’: Pro-Khalistan leader Amritpal Singh

On January 29, pro-Khalistan leader and head of Waris Punjab De organisation Amritpal Singh said anyone who supports Delhi [Indian Government] whether Hindu, Sikh or Muslim, he is their [pro-Khalistan Sikhs’] enemy.

Speaking to the media, Amritpal Singh called for the release of Sikhs who are lodged in Indian jails. Lashing out at the government for giving parole to Ram Rahim, he urged Sikhs to wake up and protest against the discrimination. Amritpal was attending a march organised to seek the release of Sikhs from jails. He added while Ram Rahim is getting parole and other benefits, Sikhs have not been released despite completion of the jail term.

He said, “If the government does not listen to our demands and release Sikhs from prison, we will change our course of action”.

When asked about finding ways to maintain law and order in the state while demanding the release of Sikhs, he said, “The law and order situation is not because of us but because of the government that is not releasing Sikhs and because of those who indulge in the sacrilege of Guru Sahib [Guru Granth Sahib]. If Punjab burns, we will not be responsible.”

Speaking about the people of other faiths living in Punjab, Amritpal claimed that every person living in Punjab, irrespective of religion, wants freedom [from India]. If we had got independence in 1984, the condition of Punjab would not have been like India.”

A reporter asked him about his views on Hindus who go to Gurudwara with complete faith. He said, “We are against those who are in favour of Delhi. It does not matter if the person is Hindu, Sikh or Muslim. If the person is with Punjab [support Khalistan], we are not against him.”

Speaking about the demand of Hindu Rashtra he said, “We do not care what they want. If they want to build a Hindu Rashtra, they are free to do. They should not interfere when we ask for Sikh Khalistan.”

Who is Amritpal Singh?

Amritpal Singh Khalsa, a Sikh preacher and current chief of late actor Deep Sidhu’s organisation ‘Waris Punjab De’, is walking across the state under the banner of ‘Khalsa Vaheer’ or ‘Khalsa March’. The pro-Khalistani preacher took over the organisation after Sidhu’s demise in an accident on February 15, 2022. Sidhu formed ‘Waris Punjab De’ in September 2021 intending to “protect the rights of Punjab and raise social issues”. Amritpal Singh even dresses like Bhindranwale and is accompanied by armed men 24×7, much like the slain terrorist. There is very little information available about his past.

‘When you lock a bogey, set it on fire and pelt stones, it is not just stone pelting’: Gujarat Govt opposes the bail plea of Godhra carnage convicts

OpIndia Staff
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‘When you lock a bogey, set it on fire and pelt stones, it is not just stone pelting’: Gujarat Govt opposes the bail plea of Godhra carnage convicts

On Monday, January 30, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who appeared in the Godhra train carnage matter on behalf of the Gujarat government, told the Supreme Court that it was not “merely a stone-pelting” case as the convicts had locked the bogey of the Sabarmati Express from the outside, set it on fire and then threw stones at it leading to the death of several passengers on the train.

Contesting the bail appeal of Godhra Train burning convicts of 2002, SG Tushar Mehta told the SC bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and also comprising of justices PS Narasimha and JB Pardiwala, “Some are saying their role was just stone pelting. But when you lock a bogey from outside, light it on fire and then pelt stones, it is not just stone pelting.”

The statement came when the apex court was hearing the bail petition of some convicts sentenced to life imprisonment in the 2002 Godhra train carnage case.

Speaking in court on behalf of some of the convicts, senior counsel Sanjay Hegde stated that the state government has filed appeals in the cases of some convicts whose death sentences were converted to life sentences by the Gujarat High Court.

SG Tushar Mehta, meanwhile, urged the apex court to hear the case again, which the bench agreed to. “Alright, you examine this. We will list (the bail pleas) after two weeks”, said DY Chandrachud.

The court also issued a notice to the state government regarding the bail applications of convicts Abdul Raheman Dhantia alias Kankatto, Abdul Sattar Ibrahim Gaddi Asla and others.

SC grants bail to Farook Bhana, convicted in the Godhra carnage case 

Notably, on 15th December 2022, the Supreme Court of India granted bail to Farook Bhana who was sentenced to life in the Godhra carnage case. It is notable that Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud headed the bench that passed this order.

While announcing this verdict, the Supreme Court considered that the convict has undergone 17 years sentence. The apex court also noted that his role was stone-pelting at the train. Solicitor general Tushar Mehta then too had appeared in the court on behalf of the Gujarat government. He strongly opposed this and said, “It’s the most heinous crime. People were locked in a bogey and burned alive.”

Supreme Court extends bail granted to Godhra Train Carnage convict

A month before, the Supreme Court had extended the bail already granted to Abdul Rehman Abdul Majid, a convict who co-conspired in carrying out the Godhra Train Carnage in 2002. Majid, who was sentenced to life imprisonment had been granted bail till March 31, 2023, on account of his wife suffering from cancer and his children being specially abled.

The Gujarat High Court order which upheld the conviction stated that Majid, along with Bilal Haji and others, threw stones at the firefighter vehicle, causing injuries to the employees and restricting their ability to perform their duties, while the train coach No. S6 of the Sabarmati Express train was combusted by spraying petrol, burning several people, including women and children.

The Gujarat High Court indicated that the obstruction was deliberately carried out intending to continue the burning of the coach consisting of Kar Sevaks.

Godhra train burning incident

The carnage had taken place when scores of ‘Kar Sevaks’, who were returning in Sabarmati Express from Ayodhya after attending a religious ceremony, were burnt in a train near Godhra. On 27th February 2002, coach number S-6 of the Sabarmati Express was set on fire near the Godhra railway station in Gujarat. The victims were mostly Hindu and official figure reports that 59 people had died in this incident.

In its October 2017 judgment, the Gujarat High Court commuted the death sentence awarded to 11 convicts in the Godhra train coach-burning case to life imprisonment. It had upheld the life sentence awarded to 20 other convicts.

Islamist terror organisation Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan claims responsibility for the attack on Peshawar mosque

OpIndia Staff
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Islamist terror organisation Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan claims responsibility for the attack on Peshawar mosque

On January 30 (local time), a blast took place inside the Peshawar Police Lines mosque resulting in the death of at least 28 people. Around 150 were reportedly injured in the blast. Shortly after the attack, the Islamist terror outfit Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the bombing.

On Twitter, Sarbakaf Mohmand, a leader of the radical Islamist organisation took responsibility for the attack.

According to sources, Sarbakaf Mohmand is the brother of deceased TTP commander Umar Khalid Khurasani. He tweeted that the suicide attack was part of a revenge attack for his brother, who was killed in Afghanistan in August 2022.

The terrorist organization’s spokesperson was not immediately available for comment.

Suicide bomber blows himself up inside Peshawar Police Lines mosque in Pakistan

OpIndia had reported earlier in the day, that a suicide bomber was present in the front row during the prayers. He detonated the device and as a result, the roof of the mosque collapsed. An eyewitness had said that it was a powerful blast and smoke was everywhere after the blast. The eyewitness lost consciousness due to the blast and when he gained back consciousness, he saw that the roof had collapsed. 

Following the blast, Islamabad is on high alert. The entry and exit points of the capital city have been secured and security agencies are continuously monitoring the situation.

Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan declares parallel government with new cabinet

It may be recalled that last year in December, the Islamist terror outfit Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) challenged the sovereignty of the Pakistani State and declared the formation of its new parallel government for the country.

TTP has now announced its own Cabinet of Ministers, ranging from Defence to Education. Reportedly, the terror organisation has ministries for political affairs, fatwas, Intelligence, and even construction.

Moreover, TTP has divided areas in its loose control into two zones – North (includes Peshawar, Malakand, Mardan, and Gilgit-Baltistan) and South (includes Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu, and Kohat)

Reportedly, the Ministry of Defence of the TTP is now led by a US-designated terrorist, Mufti Muzahim. The terror outfit also has a squadron of suicide bombers called the ‘Special Istishadi Force.’

The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), with its supporters, has attacked defense establishments in Pakistan 148 times within a year. And the success of the Taliban in Afghanistan has given these terror attacks by TTP a boost. But the central government seems reluctant to take action against them

UP: Mohammad Salim among 5 arrested for desecrating Ramcharitmanas in support of SP leader Swami Prasad Maurya

OpIndia Staff
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UP: Mohammad Salim among 5 arrested for desecrating Ramcharitmanas in support of SP leader Swami Prasad Maurya

The Uttar Pradesh police arrested five people involved in the desecration of the holy Hindu scripture Ramcharitmanas in the Vrindavan area of Lucknow on January 29. Those arrested include Mohammad Salim, Satyendra Kushwaha, Yashpal Singh, Devendra Yadav and Suresh Yadav.

The accused have been arrested under IPC sections 120-B, 142, 143, 153-A, 295, 295-A, 298, 504, 505(2) and 506. 

DCP East Lucknow has in a video byte also confirmed the arrest of five accused in the case.

Earlier the UP police had booked 10 known and several unidentified people in the case. The people who were booked were members of Akhil Bharatiya OBC Mahasabha and Samajwadi Party leader Swami Prasad Maurya. The police have said that a case was registered against these individuals for “promoting enmity” after they allegedly burnt photocopies of the pages of Ramcharitmanas in the Vrindavan area of the city on January 29. 

The FIR has been filed at the PGI police station in Lucknow. The police said that the FIR was registered against Yashpal Singh Lodhi, Devendra Yadav, Mahendra Pratap Yadav, Naresh Singh, SS Yadav, Sujit, Santosh Verma, and Salim based on a complaint filed by BJP leader Satnam Singh Lavi.

The action was taken after Akhil Bharatiya OBC Mahasabha, on January 29, burnt the copies of the holy Hindu scripture Ramcharitmanas in the Vrindavan Yojana of the PGI Kotwali area of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. The OBC Mahasabha members announced their support to Samajwadi Party leader Swami Prasad Maurya who recently stirred controversy by saying that the Ramcharitmanas should be banned.

Rahul Gandhi repeats his story about poor kids and ‘t-shirts in winter’, but fails to realise he has already told the same story earlier

OpIndia Staff
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Rahul Gandhi repeats his story about poor kids and ‘t-shirts in winter’, but fails to realise he has already told the same story earlier

On 30th January 2023, in Srinagar, Congress scion Rahul Gandhi repeated his story about poor kids for the second time in his Bharat Jodo Yatra but failed to get his own story right. Rahul Gandhi had earlier said that it is because he saw the poor kids shivering in the cold so he gave up wearing a jacket and preferred to wear just a t-shirt during winter. However, Rahul Gandhi has altered the details of his story every time.

In his speech in Srinagar, Rahul Gandhi said, “I was feeling cold when I was moving from Kanyakumari. I saw some children. They were poor, they were feeling cold, and they were working as laborers and shivering. Maybe they did not have any food. I thought these kids are not able to wear sweaters and jackets in the cold, so I should not wear a sweater or a jacket.”

Rahul Gandhi added, “There was a person accompanying us who told me not to touch the kids because they are filthy. I told them that these kids are cleaner than you and me.”

Rather than giving any sweaters or shawls to the kids shivering in the cold, Rahul Gandhi’s accomplices were busy highlighting that those kids were filthy. Rahul Gandhi, during his Yatra, was thus accompanied by elitist people who do not consider poor worth touching.

Earlier, on 9th January 2023, Rahul Gandhi told a similar story and said that it took place in Madhya Pradesh. At that time, as Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra passed through Delhi, he was seen wearing a t-shirt. He said, “They are after my t-shirt. They don’t understand even now. They ask why he is wearing a white t-shirt. Does not he catch any cold? Let me tell you why I wear a t-shirt. Yatra started in Kerala where it was very humid and hot. After that, we reached Madhya Pradesh. At that time it was a little bit cold. We leave at 6 am every day. One day, 3 poor kids came to me. Their shirts were torn. I touched them as they wanted to take a photograph with me. They were girls. I had them on both sides and as soon as I touched them I realized that they were shivering in cold. On that day, I decided that I will wear a t-shirt unless I shiver. I want to give a message to these three girls that if you are shivering, then Rahul Gandhi will also shiver. The day you will wear a sweater, Rahul Gandhi will also wear a sweater.”

However, the cold got even the PR campaign pf Rahul Gandhi as he wore a jacket as soon as his Bharat Jodo Yatra entered Jammu and Kashmir. Also, while repeating the same story in Srinagar, Rahul Gandhi was wearing a jacket and a winter cap amidst the snowfall.

Credentials of Teesta Setalvad’s organisation CJP in “serious doubt”: MHA says as it opposes plea by CJP against illegal conversion laws

OpIndia Staff
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Credentials of Teesta Setalvad’s organisation CJP in “serious doubt”: MHA says as it opposes plea by CJP against illegal conversion laws

Teesta Setalvad’s organization Centre for Justice and Peace (CJP) had filed a plea in Supreme Court against the illegal conversion laws enacted in various states. In response, the Ministry of Home Affairs, through its Joint Secretary, has filed a preliminary affidavit in the Supreme Court of India contesting the petition.

The Home Ministry argued before the Supreme Court that the background and credentials of the organisation filing the petition is a relevant consideration. The Home Ministry further said that before the Supreme Court invokes its judgment on the plea filed by CJP, it should know that the credentials of the organisation are in “serious doubt”.

The Home Ministry’s affidavit read, “I state and submit that the petitioner herein purports to act in public interest in which it selectively takes up public causes for the objects and intents other than public interest.”

Ministry of Home Affairs also told the Supreme Court that CJP is guilty of collecting huge funds and exploiting riot-affected people for which, criminal proceedings are going on against its office bearer, Teesta Setalvad.

The Home Ministry further said, “Under the guise of serving public interest, the petitioner deliberately undertakes and consciously and surreptitiously espouses, divisive politics in an attempt to divide the society on religious and communal lines.”

The Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by CJP is against the laws against illegal conversion, which have been introduced in four BJP-led government ruled states – Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttarakhand. 

The law has been introduced to protect girls from forced conversion and love jihad, but Teesta Setalvad and her organisation think otherwise.

‘Personally, I thought he was dour’: Ex-US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says Xi Jinping ‘most unpleasant’ leader he met

OpIndia Staff
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‘Personally, I thought he was dour’: Ex-US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says Xi Jinping ‘most unpleasant’ leader he met

Former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo described Chinese President Xi Jinping as the “most unpleasant” of the international leaders he had met in his career. Pompeo made these revelations in his book, ‘Never Give an Inch: Fighting for the America I Love.’ In his book, Pompeo who was the State Secretary during Donald Trump’s regime stated that he exchanged many conversations with the Chinese leader and found him “dour” and a “quintessential Communist apparatchik”.

Pompeo also recalled how Xi Jinping threatened to stop delivering PPF kits to America if it continued to demand accountability from Beijing on Covid-19.

During the meetings, Xi Jinping told stories of Chinese victims and discussed his “demands to avenge grievances from long before any of us were born,” Mike Pompeo noted.

“Personally, I thought Xi was dour. While Putin can be funny and mirthful, even while being evil, Xi was not so serious as dead-eyed. I never once saw an unforced smile,” Pompeo writes in the book that’s slated to hit bookstores on Tuesday.

“I also found Xi a quintessential Communist apparatchik: heavy in the abstract, light on the issues under discussion, and always eager to impose his views, even while he pretends to be listening to you. He fit the psychological profile of an East German or Soviet Communist I came to study during my Army days,” Pompeo stated.

The former US Secretary of State further wrote about his several interactions with the Chinese leader adding, “Xi talked in “hollow tones” and was always in search of words, phrases, and archaic Chinese proverbs of questionable clarity.”

Pompeo added, “Of the dozens of world leaders I met, he was among the most unpleasant. How’s that for telling the hard truth? Having now seen the regime personified at the highest level, I was gripped by just how different its leaders were from the Chinese people.”

In his memoir, the former US Secretary of State recounted how he nearly was fired following making critical remarks about the CCP administration. He wrote that when the first wave of Covid-19 was at its peak, Xi warned then-President Donald Trump that continued demands for accountability would jeopardise America’s ability to receive Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) supplies from China.

“The United States was still in the early stages of understanding what we were up against, and the president made the tough call that putting America first meant not jeopardising our ability to procure potentially life-saving equipment from China,’ Pompeo wrote.

‘At the same time, however, I was determined to impose accountability by telling the truth. I knew that the CCP already was not happy with me,’ he added.

Pompeo described how, on March 25, he conducted a news conference at the State Department and slammed Xi Jinping’s party for hiding an approaching global catastrophe.

He added that he believes his harsh statements influenced Trump’s previously scheduled call with Xi Jinping the next evening on March 26.

“I joined the call from a secure location, while the President was at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. It started off cordially, as Xi offered Eastern medicines that he assured us would stem the symptoms of COVID-19 if Trump needed them. Yet Xi’s real mission was to get me fired,” wrote Pompeo.

“He railed against me: Pompeo has defamed the Chinese people. Pompeo is antagonistic and a pugilist without reason. Pompeo is risking the trade deal we signed two months ago. Pompeo is immature and jeopardises all we’ve built together. I’m sure that he knew I was on the call, so I admired his directness, if not his objective,” the former US Secretary recalled.

Pompeo further wrote how soon after the call, then American President Donald Trump called him and said, “My Mike, that f–ing guy hates you!”

“We should chat in the morning, as the hour was late in DC, but that I needed to ‘shut the hell up for a while.’ We needed that health equipment from China, he said,” Pompeo added.

“At his direction, I committed to a temporary rhetorical ceasefire. There was only one moment when I thought my job might be at risk. I’d watched President Trump aim his ire at many cabinet officials over the previous three years, but had never really worried that I could be on the way out. Now it was my turn,” he said.

According to the book, Trump walked into the Oval Office a few days later and saw Pompeo in person for the first time since the Xi call and said, “you guys need to know Xi hates that guy. Mike, you’re putting us all at risk – the PPE, our trade deal. Stop, for God’s sake!”

“When I went home that night, I told Susan that my good run might be near its end. I would not praise Xi or the CCP for their death-dealing lies. Quiet for a time? Fine,” Pompeo wrote.

Mike Pompeo accuses China of destroying coronavirus samples as part of a cover-up

It may be recalled that in 2020, when the Covid-19 pandemic was at its peak, Mike Pompeo had accused China of destroying coronavirus samples as part of a cover-up during the early days of the outbreak, thereby “making it impossible to track the disease’s evolution”. 

Pompeo said he “strongly believed” that Beijing had failed to report the outbreak in a timely manner, which was a breach of World Health Organization rules, and had failed to report human-to-human transmission of the virus “for a month until it was in every province inside of China.”

China slaps sanctions on several officials of the Trump administration

In 2021, soon after Joe Biden took oath as the 46th President of the United States, China released a statement imposing sanctions on several former officials of the Trump administration. Over 28 former Trump administration officials, including former secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, had been subjected to sanctions.

The sanctions were imposed after the outgoing Trump administration had reportedly said that China was committing genocide against Uyghur Muslims and other Muslims in Xinjiang. Former secretary of state Pompeo had directed the Department of State to continue to investigate and collect information regarding the Chinese atrocities against Muslims in Xinjiang. 

‘Raised funds for the banned outfit, trained terrorists in IEDs’: NIA files chargesheet against 2 CPI(M) terrorists for reviving terror network

OpIndia Staff
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‘Raised funds for the banned outfit, trained terrorists in IEDs’: NIA files chargesheet against 2 CPI(M) terrorists for reviving terror network

On January 20 this year, the Nation Investigation Agency (NIA) filed a chargesheet against two domestic terrorists associated with the proscribed outfit, Communist Party of India (Maoist).

The duo was identified as Pradyuman Sharma and Tarun Kumar, residents of Rustampur village in the Jehanabad district of Bihar. A case was registered against them by the central agency on December 30, 2021, for conspiring to revive the CPI (M) network in Magadh Zone.

They also sought to raise funds for the banned outfit, purchase arms and provide training to other terrorists in Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).

The duo was booked under Indian Penal Code Sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 386 (Extortion), 411 (dishonestly receiving stolen property) and relevant provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act of 1967.

In a press release [pdf], the NIA informed, “During investigations, it has been established that huge funds were extorted from contractors and were routed through various channels.”

“In furtherance of this sinister motive, they conspired to raise funds for procurement of arms and ammunition and imparting training to Maoist cadres in the fabrication of IEDs and to liaise with incarcerated Naxals and Over Ground Workers (OGWs) in various Jails for the commission of terrorist acts and activities,” the central agency emphasised.

‘Naxalism with gun or pen must be uprooted’: PM Modi

In October last year, Prime Minister Narendra stressed that Naxalism in all its forms needs to be uprooted in order to bolster the country’s internal security.

“The government has already implemented a policy of zero tolerance against terrorism; now is the time to destroy urban Naxals and Maoists holding pens in order to protect the youth of the country from being misled”, he said.

The Prime Minister expressed concern that the Maoist-Naxalite forces are expanding their intellectual sphere in order to corrupt the minds of future generations. 

Abu Dhabi-based International Holding Company to invest USD 400 Million in Adani enterprises’ FPO

ANI
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Abu Dhabi-based International Holding Company to invest USD 400 Million in Adani enterprises’ FPO

International Holding Company, an Abu Dhabi-based diversified conglomerate, on Monday announced that it will invest about USD 400 million (AED 1.4 billion) into the Adani Enterprises’ follow-on public offer (FPO) through its subsidiary Green Transmission Investment Holding RSC Limited.

The Adani Group company’s FPO opened for subscription on January 27 and will continue till January 31. Adani Enterprises had filed a red herring prospectus with the markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) for the Rs 20,000 crore follow-on public offer (FPO).

This investment, IHC said in a release, is its first investment of the year as it intends to scale and diversify its investments locally and internationally, focusing on Europe, Africa, Asia, and South America markets in 2023.

“Our interest in Adani Group is driven by our confidence and belief in the fundamentals of Adani Enterprises Ltd; we see a strong potential for growth from a long-term perspective and added value to our shareholders,” said Syed Basar Shueb, Chief Executive Officer, IHC.

The release added this is the second investment deal International Holding Company has completed with India’s Adani Group after last year’s USD 2 billion investment in three green-focused listed companies of the group — Adani Green Energy, Adani Transmission, and Adani Enterprises.

“The advantage of the FPO is the historical reference for the company’s earnings report, company’s management, business practices, and much data to bank on before making any investment decision,” Shueb added.

The release said IHC continues to look ahead this year as its ambitious progression strategy gets well underway, with an expected further acquisition across four continents by the end of the year alone.

The UAE-based IHC aims to increase its global acquisition by 70 per cent in 2023, with the clean energy and food processing sectors being a key focus.

“We are watching the international market closely for new prospects, and we will continue exploring further opportunities outside our traditional market in 2023,” Shueb said. 

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

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